Whitsunday courts file for drink and drug drivers

A P-plater caught driving with a “variety of drugs” in his system and a man who was caught drink-driving for the third time in four months are among the latest Whitsunday drivers to front court.

Proserpine and Bowen courts file the latest drink and drug drivers in our roads.

A P-plater caught driving with a “variety of drugs” in his system and a man who caught drink-driving for the third time in four months are among the latest Whitsunday drivers to front court.

TRAFFIC CONVICTIONS RECORDED

Shane Luke Bovey, 29

Shane Luke Bovey faced Proserpine Magistrates Court on October 9.

Shane Luke Bovey was caught driving with cocaine in his system in Airlie Beach at 10:46pm on August 26.

The boat detailer faced Proserpine Magistrates Court where he pleaded guilty to drug-driving.

When asked by Magistrate Michelle Howard if he would like to say anything, Bovey replied there “wasn’t anything else to add”.

He was fined $500 and his licence was disqualified for three months.

Matthew James Thomson, 41

Matthew James Thomson was facing Bowen Magistrates Court on October 10.

A Collinsville father of two had methamphetamine and marijuana in his system while driving without a licence in an unregistered car with a false number plate.

Matthew James Thomson faced seven charges in front of Bowen Magistrates Court after he was caught drug-driving on 2nd Ave in Scottville.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Emma Myors said Thomson’s licence had been disqualified following his suspended jail sentence over drug-related offences that ended in April this year.

Ms Myors said the vehicle had been unregistered since January, 2021, and Thomson had told officers he was aware of this.

The court heard officers had also found a small amount of marijuana and a pipe in Thomson’s car.

Solicitor Peta Vernon said Thomson took marijuana instead of his prescribed medicine to ease the pain of an injury following an earlier car crash with a kangaroo.

Ms Vernon added Thomson did not have the financial means to register his car.

Thomson pleaded guilty to all charges, including breaching his suspended sentence.

Magistrate Michelle Howard fined him $1100, disqualified his licence for seven months, and extended his good behaviour term for three months.

Jacob Nambas, 27

Jacob Nambas in front of Bowen Magistrates Court on October 10.

Vanuatu local Jacob Nambas, 27, had only been in Australia for a year when he was caught drink-driving with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.072, and driving without a licence along Williams St in Bowen on September 17.

The Bowen court heard this was Nambas’ third-drink driving offence since June.

Magistrate Michelle Howard told him he had no regard for “what the court has imposed” and he was unsuitable for probation.

She sentenced him to three months’ jail, wholly suspended for nine months, and disqualified his licence for three years.

Jeramie Stewart Scarborough, 39

A father was caught drug-driving with marijuana in his system in Jubilee Pocket at 11.25pm on August 7.

Jeramie Stewart Scarborough told Proserpine Magistrates Court he had taken cannabis oil to treat his seizures.

“I’m no excusing what I did, but I haven’t seen the side effects of that,” he said to Magistrate Michelle Howard.

Scarborough pleaded guilty to drug-driving and was fined $4000 with his licence disqualified for one month.

Ms Howard said she would record a conviction as Scarborough had previous similar offences on his record.

Lukeisha Sawers, 22

Lukeisha Sawers in front of Bowen Magistrates Court on Tuesday October 10.

Lukeisha Sawers, 22, had smoked a marijuana joint before getting behind the wheel on August 4 along Skim St in Bowen.

The court heard the Bowen Hotel employee had one similar entry over the past five years.

Pleading guilty to drug-driving, she was fined $500, and her licence disqualified for three months.

Keith Beauchamp, 26

Keith Beauchamp was caught drug-driving without a licence in Collinsville.

Father of three Keith Beauchamp was caught drug-driving without a licence on Peter Delemothe Rd in Collinsville on July 15.

Proserpine Magistrates Court heard Beauchamp, who had marijuana in his system, had told officers he knew his licence had expired but could not afford to renew it.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Emma Myors said his licence expired on May 8.

Beauchamp told Magistrate Michelle Howard he ran his own delivery business and on the day he drug-drove, he was working his 14th consecutive 12-hour day, and that he enjoyed the occasional “Sunday afternoon joint”.

He said he should not have driven after being called into work.

He pleaded guilty to drug-driving and driving without a licence, was fined $550, and his licence was disqualified for one month.

Tavite Turaganibuli, 28

Tavite Turaganibuli in front of Bowen Magistrates Court on October 10.

A Fiji man who has been in Australia for two years was caught drink-driving with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.111 in Bowen CBD on September 24.

Tavite Turaganibuli, an Abbott Point port security officer, had told police officers he had drank “6 or 7 beers” before driving.

PD Law Solicitor Peta Vernon said Turaganibuli had driven because his friend needed a lift.

Magistrate Michelle Howard said the BAC was not “low reading”.

Turaganibuli pleaded guilty in front of Bowen Magistrates Court, was fined $500, and his licence was disqualified for three months.

TRAFFIC CONVICTIONS NOT RECORDED

Riley Christian Pompey faced Proserpine Magistrates Court on October 9. Picture: Contributed

Riley Christian Pompey, 18

Riley Christian Pompey, 18, was caught drug-driving on Shute Harbour Rd in Cannonvale while also in possession of marijuana and mushrooms.

Proserpine Magistrates Court heard officers had pulled the P-plater over for a random drug test on August 26.

Prosecutor Lachlan Perry said police searched Pompey’s car after he returned a positive drug test and they found a bag with 8g of marijuana, another bag with 11.1g of hallucinogenic mushrooms, and a pipe.

Pompey pleaded guilty to drug possession charges as well as drug-driving.

Magistrate Michelle Howard said she would not convict him for the possession charge because of his youth as he did not have any previous offences on his record, but she ordered a $200 good behaviour bond over three months.

Pompey was fined $300 and his licence was disqualified for three months.

A conviction was not recorded for the drug-driving charge.

Editor’s Note

A previous version of this story incorrectly said a “variety of drugs” were in the Pompey’s system. Magistrate Michelle Howard said a variety of drugs were found in the defendant’s car, not in his system.

Originally published as Whitsunday courts file for drink and drug drivers